Faults:

I have got a green Ford Ka. When I bought the car, the brakes were not good at all. Have had all them changed (really cheap).

Also had to have a new wishbone. The car failed the MOT with rust and a headlight was shot.

The previous owner had a con MOT and never looked after the car.

General Comments:

I have owned this car now for just over a year now and it has never missed a beat; it drives like a dream. It's a bit nippy as well.

I was just wondering if anyone can help me out? I am going on 130 mile trip on holiday for a week on Monday; do you think she will take me there and bring me back? No motorways involved.

Faults:

Rust, steering column groans on full lock, rust round the fuel filler, driver's seat collapsed - did I mention it RUSTS!!??

General Comments:

Bought as second car on stories of legendary handling - probably has that, but it's hard to exploit it when the steering column sounds like it's collapsing. The dealers want ALL the money for spares, and make it known you have the budget buy from the range, and to be honest that modern (when conceived) shape deserved better than a 1950's pushrod engine from the Anglia, albeit with some tweaks.

But the biggest issue, and the thing that is most unforgivable for a car from the new millennium, is that the thing rusts - they all do!! Sills, round the fuel filler, anywhere!!

It's criminal that Italian cars carry the stigma of being rotters long after Italian makers had sorted the problem (Lancia's woes meant they had to), whereas Ford "they have cheap parts" - good job you need a fair few of them - made some right rot boxes for a long time after - the last Escorts, Orions, Mk2 Fiestas and some early Mk3s are bad, but I cannot believe that they got away with the KA and its rust issues.

The sad fact is that they were praised at launch, and when people go back to look for an early "pure" KA to see what the fuss was all about, there will be none. They occupy that throw away end of the market, and by the time that is realised, it will be too late. For me that is the overriding memory and Achilles heel of the Ford KA.

Faults:

What an idiot I was. I fell in love with the exterior body design, such that I did not do a thorough inspection. I would normally not write a review so early on a car, since I have just bought it, but this car is my exception. To be fair, I will update this thread as the KMs go by to give a better balanced review.

My main gripe is its interior design. Number one is the distance separating the accelerator and brake pedals. When I test drove the vehicle, I was wearing running shoes, but after taking it home and putting on my work boots - the pedals are too close! My boot hits both pedals at the same time. This is a design fault - no doubt in my mind. Or it's not designed for Aussie size 12 work boots.

Maybe I am too rough, but within 1 week, I have pushed the radio button into the dash, broke off the seat back release lever, and within 200km burned out the clutch.

The clutch repair will cost me $300 for parts and $600 for labour (a tight job apparently).

That said - I still like the aggressive stance this little Ford portrays!

General Comments:

Only available in Manual in Australia, which would explain why it was not a great replacement for the Ford Festiva. Essentially a European Ford with some weird design features. For example, the bonnet release lever is located under the steering column exactly where you would expect the tilt steering adjuster to be. The indicator stalk is on the left side, and the spare wheel is stored under the car.